This Is Date Night: Escape the Tucson heat with a Mount Lemmon day trip

When Tucson starts feeling like an oven, it's time to take date night to higher elevations. 

Last weekend, my boyfriend and I traded triple-digit temperatures for a day on Mount Lemmon, and it turned into one of my favorite dates yet. The best part? You don't need to book a cabin or take time off work to make it happen.

Here's how to plan your own mountain day trip.

Start with a drink and hit the road

Before leaving Tucson, grab a coffee, tea or refresher for the drive. My boyfriend and I stopped at Scented Leaf, and it was the perfect way to kick off our mini road trip. With my trusty mango fruit gusher in hand, we were ready to head up the mountain. 

The drive up Mount Lemmon is an adventure all on its own. Cue up your favorite playlist, roll down the windows and enjoy the conversation as the landscape transforms around you. One minute you're surrounded by towering saguaros, and before you know it, you're winding through towering pine trees. It almost feels like you've driven through a portal into another world.

One of my favorite moments was feeling the temperature drop as we climbed higher. After weeks of relentless heat, stepping out of the car into cool mountain air felt almost magical.

Wander through Summerhaven

You don't need a packed itinerary once you get there.

My boyfriend and I aren't huge hikers, so one of our favorite parts of the day was simply walking around Summerhaven with nowhere we had to be. We wandered through the little shops, admired the scenery and enjoyed the quiet, peaceful atmosphere.

Sometimes that's all a good date needs.

If you're lucky, you might even catch a summer monsoon rolling through the mountains. We did, and watching the rain move through the pine trees made the whole day feel even more magical.

Refuel at Sawmill Run Restaurant

After spending the morning exploring, we stopped at Sawmill Run for lunch, and it ended up being one of the highlights of the trip.

I ordered the Sawmill smash burger, my boyfriend chose the Southwest burger, and we shared an order of the Sawmill poutine. Everything was delicious, and the burgers and crispy fries were exactly what we were craving after a morning outside.

End with something sweet

Before heading back to Tucson, make one last stop at Cookie Cabin.

Judging by the line when we visited, we weren't the only ones with that idea. We ordered a warm chocolate chip cookie that was perfectly gooey in the middle, along with a prickly pear lemonade for me and a strawberry mango lemonade for my boyfriend.

The cookie somehow tasted even better sitting outside in the cool mountain air. It was warm, comforting and honestly felt like a hug after a full day of exploring.

Then it was time to head home.

Dates don't always require reservations or a packed schedule. Sometimes all you need is a good playlist, a scenic drive and a destination that feels worlds away from Tucson.

The 27-mile drive up the Mount Lemmon Scenic Byway climbs about 7,000 feet, and by the time you reach Summerhaven, it feels like you've traveled much further.